Time is tight but mine was a 1981 GPZ 550 in firecracker 🧨 red with navy blue and white trim. Great little machine. Had impressive zero to sixty and quarter mile times. When the mood struck I could really rev it up.😊
Amazing. One of my biggest regrets with my bike's was letting them go, as a Kawasaki mechanic back in the day, I had three Z1's and a KZ550A back in the 80's and now I wish I had them all back . Beautiful restoration, thanks for posting it, kind of brings to tears to my eyes, lol . I also had a Honda Mini trail 70 and a CB125, I wish I had those back too. Today , some thirty something + years later away from the biking game , my wife bought me my first bike in all that time, a Harley XG 750 Street. Damm, I love being on the road and in the hills again. Thanks again for posting. I'm on the hunt for a Z1 900 or KZ550 /KZ650.
@@joshauastarkey2561I also have a 1981 KZ550-A2 that I bought new in 1981. Rode it only 6,800 miles and I've decided to let it go. it's in beautiful condition if you are interested...
Fantastic build! I'm also into restoring these old bikes though I use some aftermarket as well as NOS parts. Have done a 1982 Suzuki GS650, 1982 KZ440, a 1982 (3?) Yamaha Maxim 550 and 2 Yamaha Radians. Love to see this kind of transformation!!
Fantastic! I have the 500cc one in the same colour, original paint. It has 6-speed box and 2 discs up front and a single disc in the rear. As far as I know it comes in a 400cc version too for the Japanese home market.
Thank you David, can you or anyone who has watched this tell me what you mean by "major problems" if one of the carb flaps gets sucked into the engine?. It's at 6:50.
In the choke slide blade, there is the little flap, it is on a spring pivot, it has been known for the little flap to break away and get sucked into the engine, which can cause damage, hope that helps Jim.
I'm restoring a 1981 Kawasaki 550 ltd and I've polished my engine side cases to try and look like chrome. Their close but I was wondering what you did to make yours look so nice?
seanDB1989 Thanks, good degrease, clean wash down, Polish the rims with buffer on a drill, masking tape it all up, trimming with a craft knife then a couple coats of tough black satin finish, easy just time.
Hey dan, you wouldn't happen to have any idea as to why my turn signals don't flash? I bought a new turn signal/hazard flasher but they still don't flash.
FastLifeTV Hi , sounds like you have a bad connection, or even a bad earth, if your battery is fully charged and it's a new flasher unit, Check your connections, including the handlebar switch.
David Marlow okay I really appreciate your help, and many it's the Ground because there is an open ground connection on the tail end of the bike so maybe I should connect it to the frame and see if that works.
And my I just killed my battery by hitting the start button for too long because the bike hasn't been started in about a year but I just started it up yesterday and it ran really good but today I tried and it kept stalling then died so I thing the battery was really low because I bought the battery almost half a year ago and haven't used it until yesterday so maybe the better I didn't have enough juice to power the rely.
hey you seem like you know pretty much everything about this bike, i bought one few months ago and i turned it into a bobber which I'm pretty much complete building I'm just stuck on this last part which is installing a upgraded digital speedometer to replace the boring stock one,so i wanted to ask if its even possible for a digital speedometer to be installed on one of these older bikes or not? I'm having trouble figuring out how to identify where the gear indicator wires and the RPM wires are. any advice helps thank you
FastLifeTV Hi there, I don't think you can put a electronic speedo or tacho on this model, there is nothing in the wiring harness that would give a speedo or tacho reading, but I may be wrong, this model is still pretty basic.
David Marlow thank you very much, I bought one and so far I have the power lines connected and working on mounting the speed sensor as well. If you have any information about locating the neutral indicator wireman the fuel indicator wire or even where to look for it on the kz550 engine that would be very helpful. I'm going to subscribe thank you very much.
Lukas , Hi, no the seat pan was, well beyond repair, new used pan, same foam, covered with a webbing I got with the seat cover from p+k seating., the seat is more comfortable than my other bikes.
Time is tight but mine was a 1981 GPZ 550 in firecracker 🧨 red with navy blue and white trim.
Great little machine.
Had impressive zero to sixty and quarter mile times.
When the mood struck I could really rev it up.😊
Amazing. One of my biggest regrets with my bike's was letting them go, as a Kawasaki mechanic back in the day, I had three Z1's and a KZ550A back in the 80's and now I wish I had them all back . Beautiful restoration, thanks for posting it, kind of brings to tears to my eyes, lol . I also had a Honda Mini trail 70 and a CB125, I wish I had those back too. Today , some thirty something + years later away from the biking game , my wife bought me my first bike in all that time, a Harley XG 750 Street. Damm, I love being on the road and in the hills again. Thanks again for posting. I'm on the hunt for a Z1 900 or KZ550 /KZ650.
Ray Navarrette I have a kz 550
@@joshauastarkey2561I also have a 1981 KZ550-A2 that I bought new in 1981. Rode it only 6,800 miles and I've decided to let it go. it's in beautiful condition if you are interested...
Fantastic build! I'm also into restoring these old bikes though I use some aftermarket as well as NOS parts. Have done a 1982 Suzuki GS650, 1982 KZ440, a 1982 (3?) Yamaha Maxim 550 and 2 Yamaha Radians. Love to see this kind of transformation!!
Thats a stunning bike. I've restored a very neglected Z400F last year. Can't thank Phil @ ZPower enough!
David Prachnio yes he is a top bloke
“Bravo!!!” From Grand Prairie, Texas!!! 🤠👍🏻
I love to See perfection. well done i Just bought me a 550 so it was really Nice to See The inside of The engine.
Excellent job looks like stunning 🖐️👍
Done a great job on restoring the old Kaw
Fantastic! I have the 500cc one in the same colour, original paint. It has 6-speed box and 2 discs up front and a single disc in the rear. As far as I know it comes in a 400cc version too for the Japanese home market.
Thank you David, can you or anyone who has watched this tell me what you mean by "major problems" if one of the carb flaps gets sucked into the engine?. It's at 6:50.
In the choke slide blade, there is the little flap, it is on a spring pivot, it has been known for the little flap to break away and get sucked into the engine, which can cause damage, hope that helps Jim.
Stunning restoration, well done :)
Simone J Stogrin Many thanks for your comment
Nice attention to detail lovely job, now get some flies on it
Keith. Bury
these 550 are great little bikes to modify ..plenty around at the right price
I have one of these in black, such fun bikes
Beautiful work. Wish my 82 a1 was that easy :)
I just bought one form $420. 1983 KZ550. Bout to get started on it.
I'm restoring a 1981 Kawasaki 550 ltd and I've polished my engine side cases to try and look like chrome. Their close but I was wondering what you did to make yours look so nice?
Hi there I used a small bench polishing machine, easy.
That looks absolutely fantastic! Great job! How did you get the wheels to look that good?
seanDB1989 Thanks, good degrease, clean wash down, Polish the rims with buffer on a drill, masking tape it all up, trimming with a craft knife then a couple coats of tough black satin finish, easy just time.
Love the video. Where can I get a set of decals for the same bike?
Hi if your talking about the tank and tail the paint man at Flying tiger sprayed them on, the badges are the original ones cleaned up.
Fantastic job!
Hey dan, you wouldn't happen to have any idea as to why my turn signals don't flash? I bought a new turn signal/hazard flasher but they still don't flash.
FastLifeTV Hi , sounds like you have a bad connection, or even a bad earth, if your battery is fully charged and it's a new flasher unit, Check your connections, including the handlebar switch.
David Marlow okay I really appreciate your help, and many it's the Ground because there is an open ground connection on the tail end of the bike so maybe I should connect it to the frame and see if that works.
And my I just killed my battery by hitting the start button for too long because the bike hasn't been started in about a year but I just started it up yesterday and it ran really good but today I tried and it kept stalling then died so I thing the battery was really low because I bought the battery almost half a year ago and haven't used it until yesterday so maybe the better I didn't have enough juice to power the rely.
Beautiful bike, you have done a fantastic job, you must be so proud. Would the petrol tap fit a z750ltd 83 ? I need to know. Thanks ☺👍👍👍
If its a belt 750 Ltd k1 then yes
It is a 4cyl chain drive. Do you know which one could fit ? .Thanks for replying. ☺👍
Not sure about the model, check the partzilla Web page.
Thanks, I will ☺☺👍👍
hey you seem like you know pretty much everything about this bike, i bought one few months ago and i turned it into a bobber which I'm pretty much complete building I'm just stuck on this last part which is installing a upgraded digital speedometer to replace the boring stock one,so i wanted to ask if its even possible for a digital speedometer to be installed on one of these older bikes or not? I'm having trouble figuring out how to identify where the gear indicator wires and the RPM wires are. any advice helps thank you
FastLifeTV Hi there, I don't think you can put a electronic speedo or tacho on this model, there is nothing in the wiring harness that would give a speedo or tacho reading, but I may be wrong, this model is still pretty basic.
Update I have been told you can buy a electric or digital speedo, you fix a magnet to a front disc bolt and a sensor to the fork leg, hope that helps.
David Marlow thank you very much, I bought one and so far I have the power lines connected and working on mounting the speed sensor as well. If you have any information about locating the neutral indicator wireman the fuel indicator wire or even where to look for it on the kz550 engine that would be very helpful. I'm going to subscribe thank you very much.
How did you get a new seat or did you restore the original one? My seat is fine but the old foam is a little soft....
Lukas , Hi, no the seat pan was, well beyond repair, new used pan, same foam, covered with a webbing I got with the seat cover from p+k seating., the seat is more comfortable than my other bikes.
Definitely a labour of love......
great job man.........
great video mate well done nice bikes welcome to kzr forum
Fantastic.
Is that SITO exhaust?
Lukas no its a genuine nos system
No a genuine nos system.
Hermosa moto loco!
It is a 4 cylinder chain drive h1 or h2 1983 thanks ☺
Nice job ! Did one myself (many videos on my channel) .
Excelent !!!!
impresionante!
Super !!!!
Make another one! Lol just bought an 83 kz 550
👏👏👏👏👏👏🏁🇯🇵🇬🇧🇺🇾